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AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS V 



COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT 



To the Committee on Development of the 

American Society of Civil Engineers: 

The resolutions creating tlie Committee, adopted by the Board of 
Direction, June 18th, 1918, are as follows: 

"The development and application of the sciences in recent 
decades have caused profound changes in the social and industrial 
relationships of all peoples. 

"The Engineer has been a leader in this progress. 

"Sociological and economic conditions are in a state of flux 
and are leading to new alinements of the elements of society. 

"These new conditions are affecting deeply the profession of 
engineering in its services to society, in its varied relationships 
to communities and nations, and in its internal organization. 

"A broad survey of the functions and purposes of the American 
Society of Civil Engineers is needed in order that an intelligent 
and effective readjustment may be accomplished so that the Society 
may take its proper place in the larger sphere of influence and 
usefulness now opening to the Profession. 

"Such a survey and readjustment can be accomplished success= 
fully only with the aid of the membership throughout the country. 

"Any steps toward changes in organization must lead to a 
revision of the Constitution of the Society, which has not been 
materially modified for many years, during which the Society has 
grown rapidly and has established 22 Local Associations of 
Members. 

"The Constitution should be revised only after securing the 
views of the membership of the Society as to what its purposes 
and activities should be and as to the instrumentalities through 
which these purposes and activities should be carried out. 



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**Any changes in organization must take into account all the 
conditions above indicated, and also the relationship of the Ameri= 
can Society of Civil Engineers to other engineering organizations 
and to the public. 

"Therefore: 

"Resolved, that a Committee be created to report on the pur= 
poses, field of work, scope of activity and usefulness, organization, 
and methods of work of the American Society of Civil Engineers, 
and to make recommendations concerning these matters; the Com= 
mittee to consist of one member chosen by each Local Association 
of Members, and seven members at large appointed by the Presi= 
dent. 

"Resolved, that the President be instructed to select from this 
Committee an executive committee of not less than five nor more 
than nine members, and to appoint the chairman of this executive 
committee, who shall also be the chairman of the general com= 
mittee. 

"Resolved, that the President be instructed to prepare a precept 
for the general guidance of this Committee. 

"Resolved, that this Committee be requested to present to the 
Board of Direction a preliminary report, not later than November 
ist, 1918, so that it may be printed and distributed to the member- 
ship in advance of the Annual Meeting in January, 1919, at which 
meeting it will be presented for discussion.'* 

Purpose and Scope. 

It is intended that the Committee on Development shall make a 
survey of the fields of usefulness which are or should be open to the 
Society, consider what functions may properly be assumed by the 
Society, define its purposes, formulate policies and methods of work 
to be recommended, and consider the needs in organization and con- 
stitution. This means taking stock and making plans. The resolutions 
contemplate an examination of present-day conditions and an outlook 
into the future. They involve considering the changing social and 
industrial relations of the times and the opportunities and responsi- 
bilities which devolve upon the Society and its membership. The rela- 
tions of the Society to other societies and to the profession generally 
are also included. The outcome of the work of the Committee may be 
modifications in the activities, functions, and methods of work, or in 
the emphasis in these matters, and possibly the addition of new ones. 
Naturally the resolutions assume that the views of the membership of 



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June 29,1931 






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the Society will be asked for and its aid obtained in determining what 
the Society's purposes and activities should be and how they may best 
be carried out. It is expected that the Committee will report definite 
recommendations in the field of its work and these recommendations 
may include proposals of fundamental changes which may involve 
amendment of the Constitution of the Society. 

The Committee's Field. 

It would be premature to outline the ground to be covered in the 
Committee's work: this may best be found by the Committee as its 
work progresses. It may serve a good purpose, however, and aid in 
starting effective deliberations more promptly if some expression is 
made of the possible content of the work. With this advantage in 
mind the following is suggested as representative of the field of the 
Committee's work: 

1. Relations of the Society and its membership. 

(a) The relations of the Society to its membership and to 
the profession of engineering. 

(b) The relations of the Society to other engineering societies 
and to related organizations. 

(c) The relations of the Society, its membership, and the 
members of the profession to public affairs, to the welfare 
of its members and the public, to the work of communities 
and nations, and to movements of the times related to 
industry and society. 

2. Organization of the Society and the Profession. 

(a) The functions of the central organization of the Society 
and its relation to other organizations. 

(b) The functions of the Local Associations of members (in- 
cluding the membership at New York) and their relations 
to the Society, to other societies, and to groups of organiza- 
tions. 

(c) The organization of the engineering profession as a whole. 

3. Technical activities of the Society and its possible branch organ- 
izations. 

(a) Meetings, papers, publications and committee work. 

(b) Activities related to engineering progress and engineering 
problems. 

(c) Sections or divisions of the Society for specialized lines 
of work. 



(d) Co-operation with specialized engineering societies and 
other organizations. 

(e) Relations to other technical activities such as those of 
the proposed Standards Committee. 

4. General activities of the Society and its possible branch organiza- 
tions and co-operative organizations. 

(a) Activities related to public affairs and public welfare. 

(b) Activities related to the welfare of its members. 

(c) Relations to organizations dealing with industrial and 
governmental problems. 

5. Functions of the Society in relation to the younger members of 
the profession and to those in executive, contracting and other lines. 

6. Miscellaneous needs of the organization. 

7. Proposals for changes which will involve making amendments 
to the Constitution and formulating rules and methods of procedure. 

These general topics, which are mostly self-explanatory, are neces- 
sarily interrelated in a variety of ways. The subject of the relations 
of the Society to its membership, the profession, the public, and the 
times involves questions of the purposes, functions, and organization 
of the Society. The organization topic relates to ways of managing 
activities and functioning with other organizations. The technical 
activities topic embraces means for carrying on the technical functions 
of a great engineering society, contributing to engineering knowledge, 
creating or developing new engineering policies, originating and bring- 
ing about constructive, progressive movements, and developing engi- 
neering practice and engineering influence. The general activities 
topic relates to the work of the Society in connection with public affairs 
and the welfare of the profession and of society. The functions of the 
Society with reference to the classes of members of the profession are 
bound up intimately with the topics already referred to. It will be 
noted that this outline of the field of work of the Committee is not in 
the form of a programme of work or order of procedure; the topics are 
too closely related to make it applicable to such uses. 

Certain matters of policy which have been called to the attention 
of the Board of Direction have been referred to the Committee, such 
as the rewriting of the Code of Ethics of the Society, the suggested 
organization of American engineers abroad and the question of what 
policy the Society should take toward the adoption of standards, and 
doubtless other matters will be so referred. It seems probable that 
many members of the Society will have proposals which they will desire 
to present. 



Formulation of Policies 
AND Determination of Methods of Execution. 

The great questions before the Committee, then, are (1) what are 
the functions which the American Society of Civil Engineers should 
assume and (2) how should they be carried out. 

It goes without saying that a society should consider and determine 
the functions it will undertake and the working policies it will pursue. 
In considering these matters, it is apparent that the formulation of 
a proposition is a step which may aid in judging of the value of the 
proposal, since the mere attempt at making the statement may bring 
out its impracticability or its undesirability. The formulation of 
propositions, too, takes the mind away from indefinite generalities and 
to definite proposals which should have much the same significance to 
all readers. It will be evident, too, that some proposals must be 
accepted only as principles or ideals and not as working rules, and a 
distinction between these two classes may well be made. Definiteness 
of statement of course is essential in a report of a committee such as 
this. Doubtless the Committee will carefully consider functions and 
policies and their formulation. 

'Not less essential is the determination of the methods and ways 
of executing proposed functions and carrying out policies. In devising 
administrative plans it is well to keep in mind that organization should 
be left as simple and flexible as possible; elaborate or complicated 
organization and methods are likely to be ineffective; they are not 
self-propelling; and time makes changes in needs and scope of work. 

In the course of its work the Committee will doubtless find it 
desirable to consider whether changes should not be made in the 
Constitution of the Society, even though, as has been found true in 
the past, changes in methods and new activities may be put into 
effect without amending the Constitution; the securing of the views 
of the membership of the districts on their choice for members of 
the Nominating Committee and the establishment of Engineering 
Council are examples of what has been done without modifications 
of the present Constitution. It seems likely, however, that the Com- 
mittee will want to recommend ways in which the Constitution should 
be changed. Here again it is suggested that simplicity, flexibility, and 
breadth should be kept in mind, and that details be left for by-laws 
and regulations. It will be necessary to learn whether proposals for 
activities and methods come into conflict with the charter or con- 
ditions of incorporation of the Society. Possibly the conditions 
governing the incorporation may limit somewhat activities which the 
Committee may think desirable and possibly the Committee may con- 
clude that modification in the articles of incorporation should be made 
or other steps be taken to give legal strength to their recommendations. 



Co-operation with Committees op Other Societies. 

Proposals have been made that the other national engineering 
societies appoint committees to take up similar work for those societies. 
In case such committees are formed it will be the duty of the Com- 
mittee on Development of the American Society of Civil Engineers 
to co-operate with these committees on subjects of common interest. 
The Committee may also find it desirable to confer with representatives 
of local engineering societies over the country concerning the relations 
which the American Society of Civil Engineers and its Local Associa- 
tions should bear to these local societies. It would appear that much 
may be accomplished through conferences with both national and 
local organizations. 

Committee Procedure. 

The Committee is so large and so widely distributed over the 
country that its work may best be done partly by correspondence and 
written discussion, partly through sub-committees, and partly at meet- 
ings of the whole Committee. To ensure that adequate progress be made 
at the first meeting of the Committee, it is important that preliminary 
work be done in advance of the meeting. This may well cover matters 
relating to the field of work, to the organization of the Committee, and 
to proposals for the Committee's consideration. At the first meeting, 
which will be called by the chairman, the organization and programme 
of work may be completed and questions formulated on which it is 
desired to have preliminary discussions by the Society. For the pre- 
liminary report requested for November 1st, 1918, the Committee can 
hardly expect to do much more than record a programme of work, pro- 
pose questions on which the views of the membership are desired, and 
submit topics for discussion. Before the time of another meeting, 
which possibly may well be held at about the time of the Annual 
Meeting of the Society in January next, progress in the work will 
have been made, and it may be expected that much will be accomplished 
at this second meeting. 

In its work the Committee will doubtless make a study of the 
engineering society organizations of this and other countries and 
of professional and scientific organizations of various kinds. Infor- 
mation concerning the Society and its work may be obtained from the 
Secretary of the Society. 

The method adopted for selecting the Committee gives a wide 
geographical distribution and an opportunity for the representation 
of local views. It has the advantages of giving a channel by which 
discussions of the problems at meetings of the Local Associations of 
Members may reach the Committee, and it is hoped that the Local 
Associations will be helpful in the work. It will be borne in mind, 



of course, that the Committee is a committee of the whole Society, 
and it is expected that it will gi^e careful and impartial atten- 
tfon to the interests of every part of the Society. The method 
of selection used should not be taken to mean that members of the 
Committee are delegates of the Local Associations of ^embers and 
it also may be noted that the three geographical districts of the Society 
which do not have Local Associations of Members have much less than 
^proportionate representation on the Committee Necessarily pro- 
nosals for new activities and for modification of old ones must take 
into con ideration the financial resources of the So-et^' --^ *« 
financM side of all questions of course will receive the careful att^n- 
?on of the CoLittee. The questions before the Committee are the 
broad Questions of policy, and personality will not enter into their 
Ssii- With a variety of points of view and -^ ^^-^P^^^-^f, 
for wide-spread consideration of the proposals of the Committee, it 
X be confidently expected that the final report of the Committee 
will receive substantial approval from the Society. 

The Board of Direction discussed the question of expense con- 
. ^ J?tW>,P work of the Committee and informally agreed that 
Tp^J fshtllb'mldl Doubtless this matter ^^ '^-nsidered 
at the meeting of the Board of Direction on October 8th, 1918. 

rd".eSthe wli'ofthe Con-Htee wiU X«^fJ<=- and 
far-reaching results in the development of the Society and the use 
fulness of the profession of engineering. 

Tours truly, 

Akthub N. Talbot, 

President. 
September 14th, 191S. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 

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8 

AMERICAN SOCIETY OF CIVIL ENGINEERS 

COMMITTEE ON DEVELOPMENT 



Appointed by ONWARD BATES, Chicago, 111., Chairman 
the President, p^^^ ^ Brown, I^ew York City 

Charles Hansel, N'ew York City 

Clifford M. Holland, Brooklyn, I^. Y. 

Frederick C. :N^oble, New York City 

H. R. Safford, Montreal, Que., Canada 

S. Everett Tinkham, Boston, Mass. 

Appointed by RiCHARD L. HUMPHREY Philadelphia Association 

the Several 

Associations J. C. Ralston Spokane Association 

of Members, 

Robert A. Cummings Pittsburgh Association 

George R. Putnam District of Columbia Association 

Baxter L. Brown .St. Louis Association 

William H. Hoyt Duluth Association 

George C. Mason Portland, Ore., Association 

H. L. Haehl San Francisco Association 

George G. Anderson Southern California Association 

E. B. Thomas Cleveland Association 

Edgar S. Nethercut Illinois Association 

W. L. Darling Northwestern Association 

John L. Hall Seattle Association 

Arthur Pew Atlanta Association 

J. H. Brillhart Texas Association 

Thomas L. Wilkinson Colorado Association 

Charles J. Tilden Baltimore Association 

Arsene Perrilliat Louisiana Association 

Frank T. Darrow Nebraska Association 

George Butler San Diego Association 

Gardner S. Williams Detroit Association 

It is requested that suggestions concerning the work of this 

Committee be transmitted to some member of 

the Committee as promptly as possible. 



LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 



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